photo: Jiri Matejicek / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0/Stadler in Prague
Stadler Praha is celebrating its 15th anniversary. With a team of over 180 staff members, the company continues to expect growth. Join us as we delve into the milestones and achievements of the dynamic Prague office.
Initially, the Prague office, with its foundational team of 30, supported the parent company in Switzerland, primarily in engineering and product development. The first project fully designed in Prague was the five-piece FLIRT train sets for the Czech private railway carrier LEO Express. This success was followed by numerous other projects, including FLIRT trainsets for the Hungarian carrier MAV, FLIRT trainsets for Raab-Oedenburg-Ebenfurter Eisenbahn (GySEV), KISS units for Moscow's Aeroexpress, additional FLIRT trainsets for Serbia, Poland, Slovenia, and KISS units for Slovakia. During the development of the new SMILE high-speed train for Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), the Prague office contributed engineering expertise in direct collaboration with colleagues in Switzerland.
Presently, the Prague team is involved in tender documentation during the commercial phase, collaborates on contracts for rolling stock supply, and handles train construction and complex project management across the entire vehicle lifecycle. Moreover, the office oversees the vehicle approval process.
World-Class Innovations from Prague
In 2018, while working on an order from Slovenia, the Prague office demonstrated its capabilities and independence. Slovenian Railways ordered a fleet of three different electric and diesel units in mixed traction, with approval required in three countries. Stadler Praha rose to the challenge and even introduced a world-first innovation.
Diagnostic Trains: The Railways' 'Doctors'
A notable technical innovation developed in Prague in recent years is diagnostic trains for Spain's infrastructure operator ADIF. Similarly, the Italian Railway Network (RFI) commissioned a consortium of Stadler and Mermec to supply five new diagnostic trains for its infrastructure. Each rail unit is equipped with over twenty diagnostic systems capable of recording, analyzing, and evaluating complex data about a country's rail infrastructure.
The automated optoelectronic system records track parameters during transit, identifying over 50 possible defects without contact. Laser scanners and high-resolution digital cameras measure critical overhead line parameters, while automatic image processing algorithms detect defects in overhead line infrastructure components.
A Prominent Presence in Ostrava
The Prague office significantly contributes to various Stadler projects, including new trams for Sarajevo, electric units for Serbia, and electric units for PKP IC in Poland, VR in Finland, ÖBB in Austria, Norske Tog in Norway, and LTG in Lithuania.
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The office is also responsible for developing and constructing the double-decker KISS unit, including type approval. This unit was showcased in June 2023 at an exhibition in Ostrava and is intended for the Slovak railway company ŽSSK. A unique feature is the integration of Slovak passenger information systems, Slovak energy measurement systems, and the ETCS train security system combined with the MIREL VZ1 train security system.
Stadler's products are already well-known in Ostrava. For five years, 40 TANGO trams from Stadler have been operational, covering over 10 million kilometers and transporting millions of satisfied passengers. The design, construction, approval, and project management of these vehicles were also independently handled in Prague.
Source: Stadler Press Release